Act 9:15, 22:17-21, 1Cor 9:1 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 15. Go thy way . This is often the only answer that we obtain to the suggestion of our doubts and hesitations about duty. God tells us still to do what he requires, with an assurance only that his commands are just, and that there are good reasons for them. A chosen vessel . The usual meaning of the word vessel is well known. It usually denotes a cup or basin , such as is used in a house. It then denotes any instrument which may be used to accomplish a purpose, perhaps particularly with the notion of conveying or communicating. In the Scriptures it is used to denote the instrument or agent which God employs to convey his favours to mankind; and is thus employed to represent the ministers of the gospel, or the body of the minister, ; comp. . Paul is called chosen because Christ had selected him, as he did his other apostles, for this service. . To bear my name . To communicate the knowledge of me. Before the Gentiles . The nations; all who were not Jews. This was the principal employment of Paul. He spent his life in this, and regarded himself as peculiarly called to be the apostle of the Gentiles, . And kings . This was fulfilled, . And the children of Israel . The Jews. This was done. He immediately began to preach to them, @Ac 9:20-22 . Wherever he went, he preached the gospel first to them, and then to the Gentiles, . (e) "he is a chosen vessel" (f) "before the gentiles" (g) "kings" (h) "the children of Israel"

Acts 9:15

Verse 15. Go thy way. This is often the only answer that we obtain to the suggestion of our doubts and hesitations about duty. God tells us still to do what he requires, with an assurance only that his commands are just, and that there are good reasons for them.

A chosen vessel. The usual meaning of the word vessel is well known. It usually denotes a cup or basin, such as is used in a house. It then denotes any instrument which may be used to accomplish a purpose, perhaps particularly with the notion of conveying or communicating. In the Scriptures it is used to denote the instrument or agent which God employs to convey his favours to mankind; and is thus employed to represent the ministers of the gospel, or the body of the minister, 2Cor 4:7, 1Thes 4:4; comp. Isa 13:5. Paul is called chosen because Christ had selected him, as he did his other apostles, for this service. Jn 15:16.

To bear my name. To communicate the knowledge of me.

Before the Gentiles. The nations; all who were not Jews. This was the principal employment of Paul. He spent his life in this, and regarded himself as peculiarly called to be the apostle of the Gentiles, Rom 11.13, 15:16, Gal 2:8.

And kings. This was fulfilled, Acts 25:23, 26:1-32, 27:24.

And the children of Israel. The Jews. This was done. He immediately began to preach to them, @Ac 9:20-22. Wherever he went, he preached the gospel first to them, and then to the Gentiles, Acts 13:46, 28:17.

(e) "he is a chosen vessel" Acts 13:2, Rom 1:1, 1Cor 15:10, Gal 1:15 Eph 3:7,8 (f) "before the gentiles" Rom 11:13, Gal; 2:7,8 (g) "kings" Acts 25:23 (h) "the children of Israel" Acts 20:23

Acts 22:17-21

Verse 17. When I was come again to Jerusalem. That is, three years after his conversion. See Gal 1:17,18.

While I prayed in the temple. Paul, like the other converts to Christianity from among the Jews, would naturally continue to offer his devotions in the temple. We meet with repeated instances of their continuing to comply with the customs of the Jewish people.

I was in a trance. Greek, Ecstasy. Acts 10:10. Perhaps he here refers to what he elsewhere mentions, 2Cor 12:1-5, which he calls "visions and revelations of the Lord." In that place he mentions his being "caught up to the third heaven," 2Cor 12:2, and "into paradise," where he heard words which it was "not possible for a man to utter," 2Cor 12:4. It is not certain, however, that he refers in this place to that remarkable occurrence. The narrative would rather imply that the Lord Jesus appeared to him in the temple in a remarkable manner, in a vision, and gave him a direct command to go to the Gentiles. Paul had now stated the evidence of his conversion, which appears to have been satisfactory to them: at least they made no objection to his statement; he had shown by his being in the temple his respect for their institutions; and he now proceeds to show that in his other conduct he had been directed by the same high authority by which he had been called into the ministry, and that the command had been given to him in their own temple and in their own city.

(g) "in a trance" 2Cor 12:2 Verse 18. And saw him. Evidently the Lord Jesus, Acts 22:14. He had received his commission from him, and he now received a distinct command to go to the Gentiles.

For they will not receive. The inhabitants of Jerusalem, probably including both Jews and Christians. The Jews would not listen to him, because he had become, in their view, an apostate, and they would hate and persecute him. The Christians would not be likely to receive him, for they would remember his former persecutions, and would be suspicious of him, because he had been so long in Arabia, and had not sooner connected himself with them. Acts 9:26, "And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple."

(h) "saw him" Acts 7:58 Verse 19. And I said, Lord. This shows that it was the Lord Jesus, whom Paul saw in a trance in the temple. The term Lord is usually applied to him in the Acts. Acts 1:24.

They know. Christians know; and they will therefore be not likely to receive to their fellowship their former enemy and persecutor.

Beat in every synagogue. Beating, or scourging, was often done in the synagogue. Mt 10:17. Comp. Acts 26:11. It was customary for those who were converted to Christianity still to meet with the Jews in their synagogues, and to join with them in their worship.

(i) "they know" Acts 22:4 Verse 20. The blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed. Acts 7:58; Acts 8:1.

I also was standing by. Acts 7:58.

And consenting unto his death. Acts 8:1.

And kept the raiment. The outer robes or garments which were usually laid aside, when they engaged in running or labour. Acts 7:58. All this showed, that though Paul was not engaged in stoning Stephen, yet he was with them in spirit, and fully accorded with what they did. These circumstances are mentioned here by him, as reasons why he knew that he would not be received by Christians as one of their number, and why it was necessary, therefore, for him to turn to the Gentile world.

(+) "martyr" "witness" (k) "I also" Acts 7:58 (l) "consenting" Acts 8:1 (++) "raiment" "mantles" (&) "slew" "killed" Verse 21. And he said unto me, Depart. Because the Christians at Jerusalem would not receive him.

Far hence. Paul travelled far in the heathen nations. A large part of his time in the ministry was spent in remote countries, and in the most distant regions then known. Rom 15:19.

(m) "I will" Acts 13:2,47, Rom 1:5, 11:13, 15:16, Gal 2:7,8, Eph 3:7,8 1Timm 2:7

1 Corinthians 9:1

1st Corinthians CHAPTER 9

THE apostle had, in 1Cor 8:13, mentioned his willingness to deny himself, if he might be the means of benefiting others. On this principle he had acted; and on this he purposed to act, The mention of this principle of action seems to have led him to a further illustration of it in his own case, and in the illustration to meet an objection that had been urged against him at Corinth; and the scope of this chapter seems to have been not only to give an illustration of this principle, (1Cor 9:27,) but to show that this principle on which he acted would account for his conduct when with them, and would meet all the objections which had been made against his apostleship. These objections seem to have been,

(1) that he had not seen Jesus Christ; and, therefore, could not be an apostle, 1Cor 9:1.

(2.) That he did not live like the other apostles, that he was unmarried, was a solitary man, and a wanderer, and was unlike the other apostles in his mode of life, not indulging as apostles might do in the ordinary comforts of life, 1Cor 9:4,6.

(3.) That he and Barnabas were compelled to labour for their support, and were conscious, therefore, that they had no pretensions to the apostolic office, 1Cor 9:6. And,

(4.) that the fact that he was unsupplied; that he did not apply to Christians for his maintenance; that he did not urge this as a right, showed that he was conscious that he had no claims to the apostolic character and rank.

To all this he replies in this chapter; and the main drift and design of his reply is to show that he acted on the principle suggested in 1Cor 8:13, that of denying himself; and consequently, that though he had a right to maintenance, yet that the fact that he did not urge that right was no proof that he was not sent from God, but was rather a proof of his being actuated by the high and holy principles which ought to influence those who were called to this office. In urging this reply, he shows:

(1.) That he had seen Jesus Christ, and had this qualification for the office of an apostle, 1Cor 9:1.

(2.) That he had the power like others to partake of the common enjoyments of life, and that his not doing it was no proof that he was not an apostle, 1Cor 9:4.

(3.) That he was not prohibited from entering the domestic relations as others had done, but had the right to enjoy the same privileges if he chose; and that his not doing it was no proof that he was not an apostle, but was an instance of his denying himself for the good of others, 1Cor 9:5.

(4.) That he was not under a necessity of labouring with his own hands, but that he might have required support as others did; that his labouring was only another instance of his readiness to deny himself to promote the welfare of others, 1Cor 9:6.

This sentiment he illustrates through the remainder of the chapter, by showing that he had a right to support in the work of the apostle:- ship, and that his not insisting on it was an instance of his being willing to deny himself that he might do good to others; that he did not urge this right, because to do that might injure the cause, (1Cor 9:12,16;) and that whether he received support or not, he was bound to preach the gospel. In this he shows

(a.) that God gave him the right to support if he chose to exercise it, (1Cor 9:7-10,13;)

(b.) that it was equitable that he should be supported, (1Cor 9:11;)

(c.) that the Lord had ordained this as a general law, that they which preached the gospel should live by it, (1Cor 9:14;)

(d.) that he had not chosen to avail himself of it because it might do injury, (1Cor 9:12,16;)

(e.) that necessity was laid upon him at all events to preach the gospel, (1Cor 9:16;)

(f.) that if he did this without an earthly reward, he would be rewarded in heaven in a distinguished manner, (1Cor 9:17,18;)

(g.) that he had made it the grand principle of his life, not to make money, but to save souls, and that he had sought this by a course of continued self-denial, (1Cor 9:19-22;)

(h.) that all this was done for the sake of the gospel, (1Cor 9:23;) and

(i.) that he had a grand and glorious object in view, which required him, after the manner of the Athletae, to keep his body under, to practise self-denial, to be temperate, to forego many comforts of which he might otherwise have partaken, and that the grandeur and glory of this object was enough to justify all his self-denial, and to make all his sacrifices pleasant, 1Cor 9:24-27.

Thus the whole chapter is an incidental discussion of the subject of his apostleship, in illustration of the sentiment advanced in 1Cor 8:13, that he was willing to practise self-denial for the good of others; and is one of the most elevated, heavenly, and beautiful discussions in the New Testament; and contains one of the most ennobling descriptions of the virtue of self-denial, and of the principles which should actuate the Christian ministry, anywhere to be found. All classic writings would be searched in vain, and all records of profane history, for an instance of such pure and elevated principle as is presented in this chapter.

Verse 1. Am I not an apostle? This was the point to be settled; and it is probable that some at Corinth had denied that he could be an apostle, since it was requisite, in order to that, to have seen the Lord Jesus; and since it was supposed that Paul had not been a witness of his life, doctrines, and death.

Am I not free? Am I not a free man; have I not the liberty which all Christians possess, and especially which all the apostles possess? The liberty referred to here is doubtless the privilege or right of abstaining from labour; of enjoying, as others did, the domestic relations of life: and of a support as a public minister and apostle. Probably some had objected to his claims of apostleship that he had not used this right, and that he was conscious that he had no claim to it. By this mode of interrogation, he strongly implies that he was a freeman, and that he had this right.

Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Here it is implied, and seems to be admitted by Paul, that in order to be an apostle it was necessary to have seen the Saviour. This is often declared expressly. Acts 1:21,22. The reason of this was, that the apostles were appointed to be WITNESS of the life, doctrines, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and that in their being witnesses consisted the PECULIARITY of the apostolic office. That this was the case is abundantly manifest from Mt 28:18,19, Lk 24:48, Acts 1:21,22, 2:32; Acts 10:39-41. Hence it was essential, in order that any one should be such a witness, and an apostle, that he should have seen the Lord Jesus. In the case of Paul, therefore, who was called to this office after the death and resurrection of the Saviour, and who had not therefore had an opportunity of seeing and hearing him when living, this was provided for by the fact that the Lord Jesus showed himself to him after his death and ascension, in order that he might have this qualification for the apostolic office, Acts 9:3-5,17. To the fact of his having been thus in a miraculous manner qualified for the apostolic office, Paul frequently appeals, and always with the same view, that it was necessary to have seen the Lord Jesus to qualify one for this office, Acts 22:14,15, 26:16, 1Cor 15:8. It follows from this, therefore, that no one was an apostle in the strict and proper sense who had not seen the Lord Jesus. And it follows, also, that the apostles could have no successors in that which constituted the PECULIARITY of their office; and that the office must have commenced and ended with them.

Are not ye my work in the Lord? Have you not been converted by my labours, or under my ministry; and are you not a proof that the Lord, when I have been claiming to be an apostle, has owned me as an apostle, and blessed me in this work? God would not give his sanction to an impostor, and a false pretender; and as Paul had laboured there as an apostle, this was an argument that he had been truly commissioned of God. A minister may appeal to the blessing of God on his labours in proof that he is sent of him. And one of the best of all arguments that a man is sent from God exists where multitudes of souls are converted from sin, and turned to holiness, by his labours. What better credentials than this can a man need, that he is in the employ of God? What more consoling to his own mind? What more satisfactory to the world?

(a) "not seen" Acts 9:3,17 (b) "my work" 1Cor 4:15